Fillet welded stays.
Being an Australian Member of this website there seems to be a lot of anal and at times vindictive criticism of fillet welded stays in steam locomotive boilers.
I am not an engineer nor have I any technical expertise other than having operated and maintained Boilers of many types and designations for 43 years.
What about the test of time for this type of stay application. Here in my own State of Tasmania Fillet welded stays have been in use since circa 1945. No Explosions, no ruptures, no troublesome breakages or cracking of plate, this also appears to be a common thread from jurisdictions where this type of stay has been in use for a similar time frame. Doesn't this time in operational service mean anything and its not as if steam locomotives don't undergo Annual Inspections which may also entail many types of Non Destructive Examination.
Australian Standard AS 1228 - 2006 Pressure Equipment - Boilers, Figure 3.10.3.5 (D) diagram (a) shows an allowable fillet welded stay.

Full penetration welds.
The State owned Queensland railways build new boilers for its Heritage Steam fleet using full penetration welds and "J" prep welds where the stays, ball sockets and caps are made from Structural Steel. No failures of any type have been reported.
http://www.theworkshops.qm.qld.gov.au/
My personal preference, Screwed stays with the heads knocked down.
Why, this method preserves skills.

Now If I were to be part of a group being asked to write a new Construction and Repair code I would be picking the best practices from the world over.
Prejudices over whose jurisdiction has the best codes and regulations hold no place where life and safety are concerned.

Dear John Rimmash,

Could you explain to me that IF every metal has inclusions how one compensates for the differences in material characteristics between the known base material and the unknown inclusions? Given that published material characteristics are for specific material conditions, that do not meet what you describe could you enlighten me?

Respectfully,
Robby Peartree

I see talk regarding Pressure Equipment Inspections.
Here we have a Standard called AS/NZS 3788:2006 Pressure Equipment - In Service Inspection which lays out the requirements for all types of Boilers. There is no Service Days. If you were to only use your boiler one day a year it still requires an annual inspection by a Boiler Inspector competent to inspect that type of boiler.
It may be worth a look.

Robby,

Help me out buddy.....I really don't follow your question. Take me back to the discussion and refresh my memory of the topic at hand so I can better understand what you are asking me.

Dear Mr. Rimmasch

I am confused as to why that question is not understood. In a previous post, I asked,
how does your Swiss inspector feel about feed water treatment and how does he feel about inclusions in steels?

You have a base metal which should be what the structure is made out of and then some foreign material of unknown attachment and characteristics such as tensile, elongation properties etc. How do you account for the difference in properties?

Respectfully,
Robby Peartree

Hi All

Anyone know the schedual for the next A.S.M.E. ESC meeting?

Thanks,
Robby Peartree

From TRAIN's website
http://www.traininc.org/

2010 TRAIN Convention in Alamosa, Colorado
November 3rd to 7th, 2010
The host is the San Luis & Rio Grande Railroad

Sunday Oct 31st and Monday November 1st - ESC meetings
Monday November 1st to Wednesday November 3rd - Pre-convention trips and activities

Wednesday November 3rd - Opening reception
Thursday November 4th - Seminars and vendor exhibits
Friday November 5th - TRAIN board meeting. Seminars and vender exhibits
Saturday November 6th - Train ride to La Veta over La Veta Pass. Banquet at Inn of the Rio Grande
Sunday November 7th- TRAIN Board Meeting

Mike Tillger

Hi All,

Anyone have anything to report from Alamosa?

Thanks,
Robby

Hi All,

I understand that there was a meeting in Seattle, WA. Does anyone have a report?

Thanks,

Robby

Hi All

This subject has been quiet for a while and I am interested to know if there is anything to report? What is the up coming meeting schedule?

Sincerely,
Robby Peartree

Just as a note: The meeting minutes for the National Board committees and SGs (specifically including 'locomotives' for March and November 2011 are here

http://www.nationalboard.org/Index.aspx?pageID=13&ID=18

The ASME SG on locomotive boilers (BPV1) has a defined contact person at the Park Avenue ASME offices:

Umberto d'Uso, dursou@asme.org, (212) 591-8535

It appears that the work product of the Engineering Standards Committee for Steam Locomotives, Inc. can be accessed via the Strasburg Railroad offices (which isn't too surprising considering who chairs the organization!) -- the National Board contact number for obtaining the Compendium, vol.1, compilation of calculations was (717) 687-8421. It would seem to me that minutes for the meetings, or at least some discussion of what the meetings involved, could be found that way even if members of the ESC were reluctant to comment on a public board like RyPN.

Well, the National Board website link sure answers a lot of questions. Definately makes a good read. Very informative. Thanks!!

Hi All

In discussions with a committee member this week we discussed that three meeting in a row have been canceled. Those meetings are the one in Phoenix, the one in LA and the one in Miami. According to the member it appears the committee wants to work by internet.

Robby Peartree

If that can be effective. Marissa Mayer is saying otherwise. In my experience there's something to that.

Word from my source on the committee is not much has happened recently with the group.

Robby